BMW X5 (2011) Air Bag Recall: Risk of Serious Injury from Inflator Explosion
BMW recalls certain 2007-2013 X5 and X6 models for potential air bag inflator explosions that could cause serious injury or death during crashes.
Stop using this now
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
What happened, in plain English
BMW is recalling specific 2007-2013 X5 and X6 models due to a risk that air bag inflators could explode in crashes, potentially causing serious injury or death. Owners must stop driving until the air bag module is replaced by BMW. Read more at govinfonow.com/recall/1252293-bmw-x5-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury.
Source Summary by GovInfoNow · govinfonow.com/recall/1252293-bmw-x5-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury · Updated October 6, 2026 · Official notice: NHTSA #18V030000
Cite this page
“BMW X5 (2011) Air Bag Recall: Risk of Serious Injury from Inflator Explosion.” GovInfoNow, updated October 6, 2026. https://govinfonow.com/recall/1252293-bmw-x5-2011-air-bag-recall-risk-of-serious-injury. Based on NHTSA recall #18V030000 (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=18V030000).
Why it’s dangerous
The air bag inflators in these vehicles may explode due to propellant degradation from long-term exposure to humidity and temperature changes. This explosion could send sharp metal fragments toward the driver or passengers, causing serious injury or death during a crash.
Who’s affected
Owners of specific 2007-2013 BMW X5 and X6 models registered in certain U.S. states and territories are affected. Drivers and passengers in these vehicles are at risk of serious injury or death if an air bag inflator explodes during a crash.
How to tell if you have this one
Check if your vehicle is a 2007-2013 X5 or X6 model with specific engine codes (xDrive30i, xDrive35i, etc.) registered in the listed U.S. states or territories. The recall covers vehicles with passenger front air bag modules that may have the affected inflators.
- Brand
BMW- Category
Vehicle
What to do — step by step
Stop Using Vehicle Now
Do not drive your vehicle until BMW replaces the passenger front air bag module.
Contact BMW Customer Service
Reach out to BMW at 1-800-525-7417 to confirm your vehicle is affected and schedule the free air bag module replacement.
What NHTSA says to do
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is performed. BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 2018. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
How this recall unfolded
Recall timeline
- Recall expected to begin (expected, per the notice)
- NHTSA received the defect report
Dates from the agency record only; steps without a date are left out.
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Where this comes from
The facts (hazard, remedy, dates, manufacturer) are pulled from the official NHTSA recall record. The plain-language summary and step-by-step checklist are written by GovInfoNow to make the official notice easier to act on — they don’t replace it.
- Official source: NHTSA Recall #18V030000 (September 1, 2018)
- Plain-language summary written by qwen3:4b on October 6, 2026, from the official record above. Not reviewed by a person — if it conflicts with the NHTSA notice, the notice is correct. Report an error on this page.
- GovInfoNow is an independent service and is not a government agency. We republish official NHTSA recall data; we don’t issue, amend or administer recalls.